I've been looking at Lexus/Toyota suv's, and just recently considered getting the hybrid version.
Most of my driving is urban, so it seems it would be helpful.
Anyone with experience, or knowledge on these cars? I imagine components would also be quite expensive to replace.
thejazzpianoma,
Oct 30, 8:45pm
Reliability aside, pretty sure that Lexus don't do plug in hybrids. That would be a primary consideration if it was myself doing the majority of urban driving. Especially in New Zealand and especially where reliability and running costs are a key consideration.
Toyota Hybrids in my opinion just arn't that great compared to what other manufacturers offer. Fuel economy has often been grossly overstated (and resulted in legal action by the US government) and with the likes of the Camry luggage space was excessively compromised.
Like many products in life, there is often an extreme difference between popular/well marketed and best.
socram,
Oct 30, 9:12pm
Give it a couple of years, the choices will be much bigger and arguably, better. Technology is full steam ahead at the moment with several manufacturers due to join the fray.
My guess is that selling an early or current hybrid or EV, may well be difficult in a year or two.
For those of us who overpaid for brick mobiles ($900), the first consumer Digital camera ($1,000), laser printer ($850) and yes, even PC's - 1987, not even a hard disc ($3,000), decent flat screen TV etc., are now very wary of high cost expenditure on newish technology.
As more companies use their collective brain power, the rate of progress speeds up. We are still in the early stages of Hybrid and EV development.
I'm a petrol head, through and through, but the writing is obviously on the wall for much further development of the internal combustion engine, though I'm unsure about diesels.
I'm 60% sure that in 2 or 3 years time, if we stick with our current brand, we'll have very little choice. This will certainly be our last diesel.
mrfxit,
Oct 31, 9:55am
They are also currently playing with compression ignition petrol engines.
LOL, would suspect those will end up in the later hybrids & not main stream domestic petrol only vehicles
kazbanz,
Oct 31, 10:21am
A LOT was learned by the very first Prius which was really generation 0.Equal amounts have been learned and implemented in the Generation 1 Prius. At that stage the only answer for a dead battery pack was replacement and fitting of other components.-so around $4000 But to give you an idea-I traded a generation 1 prius with 333000km on the clock and it went like a rocket. The owner had replaced the battery pack 10 years after buying the vehicle. The total cost of the vehicle was $20000 over 16 years /333000km of ownership. It is still being driven. The newer Toyota Hybrids are proving to be typical Toyota reliable and robust. I understand the cells are now individualised so you can replace a single failed cell rather than the whole battery pack.
I just can't get my head around adding more bits to an existing drive chain. More complex, more to go wrong. Unless it's plug in and you can do daily drive on a charge. Are you buying new or used? Used models for an SUV a diesel is still best engine. Yes it's on way out in Europe, and buying new there are better choices with latest petrols and hybrids, but secondhand the Diesel engine suits SUV so well. But, big Toyota Softroaders don't do a diesel.
kcf,
Nov 1, 7:01pm
I can't speak for the Lexus versions, but my average economy over 15,000 (ish) km in my gen 3 Prius (2010, 1800cc) has been 4.4l/100km, with the best being 3.7 (that being Wellington to Auckland, with three people onboard). Driving like a normal person, so doing the speed limit etc.
Here you go. Get the battery tested before you buy if you are worried. He also offers a repair / rebuild service for hybrid batteries.
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